The present invention relates to a service station device for an ink-jet printer which serves to clean and seal a nozzle of the printer""s head. More particularly, it relates to a service station device for an ink-jet printer which can effectively clean and seal a nozzle of the printer head with a rotary motion of a cap and has the more improved capping function by restricting movement of a carriage for carrying the printer head during a sleep mode of the printer.
There are many patents that discuss sealing and capping means for the nozzle of an ink jet printer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,230 for a Capping Means and Ink Jet Recording Apparatus Using The Same to Saito et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,270 for an Ink-Jet Printhead Cap Having Suspended Lip to Osborne and U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,456 for a Suction and Covering Device For Suctioning Ink From Ink Print Heads of an Ink Jet Print Unit and For Sealing The Ink Jet Print Heads to Kuelzer et al. each discuss a means for capping a nozzle for an ink-jet printer to prevent leakage of ink. However, what is missing is a way for positioning the cap exactly to fit over the nozzle of an ink jet printer to prevent the unwanted leakage of ink when the nozzle is supposed to be capped. Also, what is not discussed is a mechanism for preventing the inadvertent detachment of the cap from the nozzle of the ink-jet printer if the ink jet printer is inadvertently bumped or moved while the printer is not printing. In such a scenario, is desirable to have the cap remain attached to the nozzle so as to prevent the leakage of ink.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems, limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
It is an objective to provide a service station device for an ink-jet printer which can clean a nozzle of a printer head and exactly seal the nozzle with its cap to prevent loss of ink and problems of the nozzle.
The above and other objects are achieved, according to the invention, by the provision of a service station device for an ink-jet printer, the service station device including: a housing secured in a service area of a printer and having first guide slots and second guide slots formed in both side walls thereof, the guide slots being disposed in a line and said second guide slots each having an upper straight portion and a lower inclined portion; a moving member disposed in said housing to be moved to a position for capping and sealing an ink nozzle by a carriage and forced toward a printing area by a spring secured on a bottom of the housing, and having front and rear guide pins guided along the first and second guide slots, respectively; a wiper member having a wiper for cleaning the nozzle and being pivotally mounted to the housing, the wiper member being in a position for cleaning the nozzle when the rear guide pins are in a lower end of the second guide slots; and a capping and sealing member having a cap for capping and sealing the nozzle, the cap capping and sealing the nozzle when the rear guide pins begin to move to the upper straight portion of the second guide slots from the lower inclined portion thereof.
Alternatively, the above and other objects also can be achieved according to the present invention, by the provision of a service station device for an ink-jet printer, the service station device including: a housing secured in a service area of a printer and having first guide slots and second guide slots formed in both side walls thereof, the guide slots being disposed in a line and the second guide slots each having an upper straight and a lower inclined portion; a moving member disposed in the housing to be moved a position for capping and sealing an ink nozzle by a carriage and forced toward a printing area by a spring secured on a bottom of the housing, and having front and rear guide pins guided along the first the said second guide slots, respectively; a wiper member having a wiper for cleaning the nozzle and being pivotally mounted to the housing, the wiper member being pivoted to a position for cleaning the nozzle by the moving member forced toward the printing area by the spring; and a capping and sealing member having a cap for capping and sealing the nozzle, the cap capping and sealing the nozzle when the rear guide pins begin to move to the upper straight portion of the second guide slots from the lower inclined portion thereof.
The service station device according to the present invention may further include a locking member provided on a frame of the printer and forced toward the carriage by a resilient member, to hold the nozzle in the capping and sealing position.
The wiper member includes a wiper body formed by a pair of plates, and pin members inserted pivotally into holes formed on both side walls of the housing; the wiper is positioned adjacent to a free end of the wiper body.
The capping and sealing member includes a biasing member biasing the cap upwardly. The cap includes a shaft inserted into a hole formed in the moving member and a catch for preventing the cap from separating from the hole, and the biasing member is disposed around the shaft.
The cap has preferably a height such that the cap is slightly pressed by the nozzle when the nozzle is sealed in the capping and sealing position by the cap.
The moving member includes a touch guide uprightly provided on a front portion thereof, and a spring barb positioned below the t ouch guide to extend downwardly, the touch guide being forced to the capping and sealing position by the carriage moving to the capping and sealing position, and the spring barb is connected with the spring for forcing the moving member to a printing position.
The housing has a stopper provided at rear end there of for supporting the wiper member when the moving member is moved the capping and sealing position.
The locking member includes an elongated snap piece fixed on a frame and having a rounded projection formed at an end thereof, and a resilient member for pulling the elongated snap piece toward a side of the carriage, the rounded projection being engaged with a rounded recess formed at the side of the carriage. A resilient force of the resilient member is smaller than a moving force of the carriage.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.